Broken↩️🪭 ✔

Chapter 1

Roy drank down the last of his beer and looked at the pocket watch in his hand. It wasn't his, but Edward Elric's. It was the only thing his team had found when they went to go find out what had happened to him and Alphonse. He had sent the Elrics on a mission and he only heard from Edward from an outside line with an ominous message saying, "Colonel, I don't think I'll make it back." and the line had gone dead, as if cut. As soon as Roy realized that something was wrong, he and his team went to the place that Roy has sent them, only to find Edward's pocket watch... and Alphonse's armor with the blood seal scratched away.

That had been the most horrifying part of the find to Roy, knowing that poor Alphonse had been literally scratched out of existence. The other thing that nagged at him and haunted Roy every night since then was wondering if Edward even knew about it. Whenever they found him –and they would- would he have to tell him that Alphonse was dead? Or did he already know?

He wasn't sure which was worse...

"Colonel."

Roy looked up as Riza slid beside him at the bar.

"How many is that for you?" she said, motioning to the beer.

"Three, I believe."

"You need to stop dwelling on it. We're doing everything we can."

"That's not good enough. It's been almost a year! I just need to know if he's alive or dead; that's all. I want solid proof of one of those things."

Riza frowned at him. "Depending on the state he's in, you know that it could be impossible to dictate even that."

Roy knew she was implying Edward's mental state, if he had one still. Hopefully he was fighting tooth and nail like he always did, being a smart ass and driving his assailants crazy. Maybe after a year of back talk, they would abandon him at a train station. He knew that wasn't true though and gripped the pocket watch.

"I won't rest until he is found. I gave them that mission and I caused Alphonse's death... Edward needs to be found."

Riza put her hands on her superior's, comforting him as best as she could. She was anxious about Edward as well but Roy had to keep a level head.

"We're doing everything in our power-"

"Got a call for a Colonel Roy Mustang?" the bartender said, holding up the phone on the wall.

"That's me." He said with a confused look. The bartender handed him the phone as he looked at Riza. "Colonel Mustang speaking."

"Colonel, we have some news about Edward." Jean said on the other line. Roy sat up straight. "I thought you'd want to discuss this in private."

"I'm on my way." He handed the phone back to the bartender and turned to Riza. "Havoc just said that he got some information on Edward. Let's go."

Riza nodded and they left.

*****************

When Roy got in, Jean stood up.

"You said you had some news?" Roy asked, trying not to sound desperate.

"Yes, that man that you sent the Elrics after has been found and brought into custody by the Amestris police. The chief called us to let us know they had him since he knew we had been trying to find him in regards to Edward. They said we could go down there and interrogate him about Ed's whereabouts."

Roy's eyes seemed to come alive with the thoughts of getting more information on his missing subordinate after so long in the dark.

"Hawkeye, you're with me."